In the rebellious realm of punk rock, where fierce guitar riffs and blistering drums ignite the spirit of defiance, few bands have left an indelible mark like Diesel Boy. Hailing from Santa Rosa, California, this punk rock powerhouse burst onto the scene in 1993, captivating audiences with their infectious energy and clever lyrics. With a sound that defies conformity and a relentless spirit that defies the passage of time, Diesel Boy continues to reign as a force to be reckoned with in the punk rock pantheon (even being inactive for 20 years).
Diesel Boy’s music is more than just a rebellious noise—it’s a spirited sonic rebellion that ignites the hearts of their fans. With their sound, which blends elements of pop punk, skate punk, and melodic hardcore into a high-octane concoction. We dissect their unforgettable anthems and dissect the themes that resonate deeply with their audience, from hilarious musings on everyday life to thought-provoking social commentary… go check their old but rad stuff HERE.
Finally, we present a candid interview with the Diesel Boy band members. Through insightful questions, we unravel the essence of his music, their new album and more.
INTERVIEW
Hi, I’m Diego from Punk Rock Mag based in Costa Rica. Thank you for the opportunity to conduct this small interview.
I remember the days when I first discovered Diesel Boy through the “Cock Rock” album (damn good shit), and now I find myself here, interviewing you!
Your new album “Gets old” has been highly anticipated by fans. Can you give us
some insight into the themes and inspirations behind it?
This album has been in the works in some form for a long time. We tried a few years
ago to make a reunion album but we eventually lost momentum. Thankfully, over the
pandemic, we took a different approach, and we were able to get it done. Some of the
songs have been around for quite a few years, and others were written much more
recently, so part of the process of putting the record together, was getting the songs to
sound like a unified bunch.
As far as themes and inspirations, the album opens with a song called “Lost Decade,”
which talks about what we’ve been up to since we last made a record. In general, we
tried to balance the sincere with the snarky, which is a balance we’ve always tried to
strike. There’s a song about divorce, there’s one about music festival culture, there’s a
song about a girl who’s more interested in her phone than her partner, one about a sad
black metal fan, and the album closes with a song about the untimely passing of Jim
Cherry and Tony Sly.
Punk rock has always been known for its raw and rebellious nature. How does
your new album embody those characteristics and push the boundaries of the
genre?
There is a definitely a sound associated with Diesel Boy, so when making the record,
we were mindful of that. We wanted to make sure there was enough fast stuff, enough
songs with humorous lyrics, enough stuff to please our fans, but we also wanted to not
be too limiting to ourselves.
One of the things we talked about when we were considering producers, was that we
didn’t want to make a cookie cutter-sounding punk record. This was one of the reasons
we chose Matt Bayles to produce it. He got his start engineering records by Pearl Jam
and Soundgarden and Deftones and made a name for himself producing records by
super heavy bands like Mastodon and Isis and Botch. He hadn’t done a lot of work in
our genre, so the idea of seeing how he’d capture a band like us was very intriguing,
and we’re super happy with the result. The record has plenty of production, but I think
it’s more raw and in your face that our others.
One aspect of Diesel Boy’s lyrics that has gained attention is their fearless and
often provocative nature. Can you share the thought process behind
incorporating such bold and controversial themes into your music?
Being provocative was a good way of getting attention and seemed in the spirit of punk
rock, a good way of thumbing our noses at the mainstream. We wanted to be a bit
obnoxious, a bit crass, a bit risqué.
We couldn’t have been further from dangerous in real life, so perhaps we were trying to
conjure a bit of that in our songs. There aren’t many provocative lyrics on the new
album, which isn’t to say it doesn’t have humor. We poke fun at plenty of things,
including ourselves, but the vibe is more playful than outrageous. Hopefully we’ve
matured. But not too much.
In particular, some of your songs contain references to adult themes or have
been described as having “porn lyrics”. What motivated you to explore these
subjects, and what do you hope listeners take away from those songs?
I was much less bashful in the old days, and also less mature. “True Drew,” a song
about wanting to fuck Drew Barrymore, which I am explicit about in the lyrics, may have
seemed flattering or charming when I wrote it, but it isn’t to me today. It feels cringey in
its unabashed objectification.
There are other songs in our catalog with dirty lyrics that bother me less. We were sex
obsessed young men, so that stuff showed up in our lyrics. “Rubbing the Elf,” about a
girl who enjoys masturbating, was about a real person. “Stroking My Cat,” which is
essentially a laundry list of celebrities I found attractive, wasn’t so much an excuse to be
dirty, but about trying to fit all those names into a song. “Voyeurotica,” about a peeping
Tom, seemed like a taboo topic, which made it an intriguing one to explore in song.
With the punk rock scene constantly evolving, how do you ensure that your
music stays true to the genre’s roots while also pushing it forward in innovative
ways?
I don’t think innovation is what people are seeking from Diesel Boy. I think our fans are
generally interested in a specific sound, which is reflective of a specific era, so with
“Gets Old,” we tried to deliver on that. But we also enjoy being a band that can indulge
our midtempo urges, put a ballad on a record, use instrumentation that might not be
expected in a punk song. We’ve got piano and French horn on the new record. I really
respect bands like Turnstile or PUP or The Minutemen or OFF!, all of which I think help
push the genre forward, but that’s not really in Diesel Boy’s DNA. I think our “innovation”
is figuring out how to get our non-punk influences into songs in a way that fits our sound
and style.
Your music is known for its high-energy and infectious live performances. How
do you plan to translate the intensity of your new album into your stage shows,
and what can fans expect from your upcoming tour?
We don’t have the budget for much production, and frankly, I’m not sure people really
want that from most punk bands anyway, so we’ve always gotten up there and just
played our songs. I enjoy chatting with the crowd and trying to make the shows feel as
intimate as possible, so hopefully we’ll be to achieve that.
The setlist we’ve been rehearsing is a nice mix from across all of albums, including our
new one. We used the music streaming services to help guide us on choosing popular
songs, but we also threw in a few we never played much or might be less expected. The
lineup is two of us from the old days plus two new dudes, so the shows will also be a
process of getting comfortable and familiar with each other in that setting.
If your new album were a flavor of ice cream, what would it be called and what
unique ingredients would it have to capture the essence of your music?
Diesel Boy Delight. It would be a coffee-flavored base because caffeine is one drug all
Diesel Boy members can all agree on. And because we’re now middle aged, instead of
cookie dough, it would contain Metamucil dough, to keep folks “regular.” Also, because
humor has always been a part of the band, let’s throw in a little Tobasco and Sriracha,
which will hopefully make people laugh a little as they’re consuming our confection.
Something to add?
All tour dates and album pre-order info are up on our website: diesel-boy.com Or
people call find us on Facebook or Instagram and keep up with us there.
Thank you for your kind words. As for Diesel Boy, it would be great if they performed in Costa Rica one day.
As the punk rock scene continues to evolve, Diesel Boy stands as a testament to the timeless power of raw energy, unapologetic lyrics, and unbridled rebellion. With their rich history, electrifying sound, and unwavering dedication to their craft, Diesel Boy remains a force that refuses to be silenced.
For now, go enjoy their latest singles and wait for this killer album, “Gets Old” which will be released on July 28th via SBAM Records… you can pre-order it HERE.
Diesel Boy members:
Diesel Dave – Vocals and Guitar
Greg Hensley – Bass
Christopher Thomas – Drummer
Chad Philipps – Guitar
Diesel Boy social media:
Punk Rock Mag 
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